The cozy-mystery paperback I’ve included in my Autumn book box is “The Turkey Day Murder” by Leslie Meier.
This is book #7 in the Lucy Stone mysteries, but is also a stand-alone book. So never fear, if you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, you will not be lost or confused! I have read several of the books in this series, and none of them in order 🙂 Each was a great read, and I was not questioning what I may have missed from a previous book that seems tied to the one I was reading.
This is just one of several fantastic items included! Everything is wrapped and packaged for a gift recipient, or you can indulge in this book box for yourself as we all get prepared for the upcoming Holiday Seasons!
There are numerous books for readers of all ages that are centered around Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and likely other Winter holidays that I am not aware of (sorry…no offense intended, I am just not aware of every religious holiday). My family celebrates Christmas, and I try my best every year to avoid the commercialism aspects as much as possible. Our tree will not be up before Thanksgiving, I will not be listening to Christmas music before December, and I do not do any “black Friday” or Thanksgiving day shopping. Holidays are meant to be spent at home, with loved ones. Not in the stores, buying things that are more than likely not needed anyhow.
So, a few of my Christmas favorites include “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, as well as his “The Cricket on the Hearth”.
Some great stories for the smaller kids (and the kid in you!) could include Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, or Charles Schulz “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.
“The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg was a story before it was ever turned into a movie.
What books are on your list for reading this holiday season?
My first give-away of the holiday season will be closed tomorrow. If you have not done so yet, go to the attached link to get yourself entered. You just need to follow this blog if you do not already do so, and leave a comment on what you would use the gift cards for!
One lucky winner will be getting both gift cards; keep them both, share one, or give them both away!
The winner will be drawn tomorrow and announced by Thursday! Good Luck to each and every one of you 🙂
Just in time for the upcoming Holidays (which I cannot wait for!) is a great murder-mystery without all of the blood-and-gore, full of laughs, and even boasts some great recipes.
Joanne Fluke has quite the market for her Hannah Swensen mystery books. Hannah owns her own bakery, and seems to come across dead bodies almost as much as she has customers in her shop!
This story begins when Hannah finds her neighbor dead in his condo, with a box of her gingerbread cookies on the floor next to him. Who did she sell those cookies to?
Joanne Fluke has dozens of these types of stories written around Hannah, and they are all good reads. I have not tried any of the recipes in the books, but they seem to be fairly straight-forward without a lot of complicated steps. This particular book also contains 2 more stories; one by Laura Levine, and the other by Leslie Meier. Gingerbread is the theme here, and I think you will enjoy these stories as well.
As we get through October and into November, I am going to be having a few different give-aways; books, gift cards, etc. Stay tuned, the details will be out soon!
Your stack of books you want/need/have to read? What did you think I meant?!
There is no such thing as too many books!
I have been collecting books throughout the summer, knowing I want to read them, and just waiting to have the time to do so. Missing from this stack was the 1st book in the Freecurrent series (Deanna J. Compton) which I am currently reading, but could not locate. Panic! I found it, which just leads me to the fact I have been trying to ignore. That I have a lot of books. And also that I need to organize said books.
I have 6 more paperbacks that I bought at a used book sale at the beginning of the summer, and have not even had the time to give them a second glance. I am almost into week 4 of my 6 week long class on Leadership for my MBA. This is my last class for the year, so I can relax and enjoy the holiday season that is quickly approaching.
What do you have that you cannot wait to read, and cannot yet find the time to do so?
How I have never heard of or come across this book is beyond me. I absolutely love L. Frank Baum and was sure I had read all of his books, even those that had nothing to do with the Wizard of Oz. This book was published in 1902, and tells a very interesting story of how Santa Claus came to be. There are several places in it that explain the concept of stockings hanging by the fireplace, the Christmas Tree, and I found the most interesting part of the story being as to how the parents got involved in helping Santa get the presents ready for the kids.
From the end of the story: “So, to lighten his task, which was fast becoming very difficult indeed, old Santa decided to ask the parents to assist him. In the story: “Get your Christmas trees all ready for my coming,” he said to them; “and then I shall be able to leave the presents without loss of time, and you can put them on the trees when I am gone.” Â And to others he said: “See that the children’s stockings are hung up in readiness for my coming, and then I can fill them as quick as a wink.
And often, when parents were kind and good-natured, Santa Claus would simply fling down his package of gifts and leave the fathers and mothers to fill the stockings after he had darted away in his sledge. “I will make all loving parents my deputies!” cried the jolly old fellow, “and they shall help me do my work. For in this way I shall save many precious minutes and few children need be neglected for lack of time to visit them.” Â
Besides carrying around the big packs in his swift-flying sledge old Santa began to send great heaps of toys to the toy-shops, so that if parents wanted larger supplies for their children they could easily get them; and if any children were, by chance, missed by Santa Claus on his yearly rounds, they could go to the toy-shops and get enough to make them happy and contented. For the loving friend of the little ones decided that no child, if he could help it, should long for toys in vain.
And the toy-shops also proved convenient whenever a child fell ill, and needed a new toy to amuse it; and sometimes, on birthdays, the fathers and mothers go to the toy-shops and get pretty gifts for their children in honor of the happy event. “In all this world there is nothing so beautiful as a happy child,” says good old Santa Claus; and if he had his way the children would all be beautiful, for all would be happy” (L. Frank Baum, 1902)
What a clever way to explain to children the story of Santa and how he came to be. I am going to look for this book so I can get it for my girls, I think they would really enjoy it. But it will have to be an updated printing, because the majority of the ones I am finding online are a fortune! There is one on Ebay right now for $1200.+, with 20 colored plates and it is a 1st edition I believe. Wow! I would love to have it, but a bit out of my buying range 🙂
Not only did I find one, but I got two! Which means you have a chance to get this book sent to you, for free! What could be better than that? You just need to do two things.
1) Follow this blog
2) Post a comment of your favorite book and the author
That’s it! What could be more easy, right? I am in desperate need of some new books to read, and I want to read some books that you have enjoyed.
If you aren’t familiar with Joanne Fluke’s series, here is a quick run-down: The Heroine of the story is Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar and detective in the making. She is apparently the only person in the town of Lake Eden, Minnesota that is capable of solving the numerous murders that seem to happen in this small town. Her overbearing but endearing mother is full of quips that will have you laughing, and Hannah’s continuous problem of juggling two boyfriends (in the cleanest, G-rated way possible) makes for a great read without being heavy in drama. A little cheesy (no pun intended)? Yes. But her books are an easy read with descriptions of the scenery as well as recipes that will have you feeling like you are sitting in The Cookie Jar with a fresh-out-of-the-oven-cookie from Hannah herself!
This book is loaded with recipes from numerous different stories, with very minimal back information about Hannah herself. With the upcoming Holiday season upon us, I thought this would be a great surprise for someone, or a gift for a dear one if this isn’t your normal type of read. And who knows? It may just have you looking for the next Joanne Fluke book! From Heavenly Eggnog Cookies to Razzle Dazzle Champagne Cocktails, there is something in here for everyone.
be prepared, as I read through this, I will be testing out some recipes and posting them on here, as well as my other blog http://readerofallthings.wordpress.com/
So that’s it! Follow this blog, and give me a book and author 🙂 I am looking forward to reading what you enjoy reading! I will gather all the names on Thursday, and draw one and let you know who the lucky reader is. Good Luck! 🙂
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